Valley Rovers make strong start to PIHC with derby defeat of rivals Carrigaline
Chris O'Leary, Valley Rovers, takes a sideline cut. Picture: Jim Coughlan.
Valleys Rovers overpowered Carrigdhoun rivals Carrigaline in the opening round of the Co-op Superstores Cork Premier IHC at Riverstick on Saturday afternoon.
A Group 3 encounter that produced 45 scores saw Valleys deservedly come out on top in an, at times, one-sided contest. Chris O’Leary’s 13-point haul along with an excellent showing from the half-back line of Ciarán O’Shea, Eoin Guinane and William Hurley ensured Rovers got off the mark. Midfielders Shane Ryan and Matthew Woods also impressed.
Carrigaline were hugely disappointed with the outcome and their overall performance. Brian Kelleher’s free-taking kept them in touch but eleven wides and an inability to stop a constant flow of Valley attacks proved critical.
Valley’s had nine different scorers throughout the hour. This satisfying win represented a big step towards emerging from Group 3 ahead of upcoming Kilworth and Ballymartle fixtures.
Both clubs reached the knockout stages of last year’s Premier IHC. Going at least one better than their 2025 quarter-final exits required a positive start.
It was Rovers who began brighter and dominated the opening 15 minutes. Despite playing into a variable wind, Donnacha O’Connell was denied an early goal by Carrigaline goalkeeper Robert Foster’s quick reflexes.
Chris O’Leary got Valley’s motoring with a point and free before a poor puck-out was punished by Eoghan Crowley to edge Rovers three clear.
Unable to make any headway against their opponents’ well-drilled defence, Carrigaline fell five behind when Shane Ryan and Joe Twohig raised consecutive white flags.
Ciarán Kearney got Carrigaline on the board after 12 minutes but a fine Jack Walsh effort pushed Valley’s 0-6 to 0-1 ahead at the end of a dominant first quarter.
Creditably, Eanna Desmond and Ronan Kelleher got to grips in midfield and Carrigaline enjoyed their best spell. Desmond and Kelleher points sandwiched another Chris O’Leary score to make it 0-7 to 0-3.
The Carrigaline points kept coming however, as Desmond, Brian Kelleher (twice) and Ronan Kelleher found their range. Rovers’ O’Leary converted a free and Brian McCarthy was denied a goal by another excellent Foster stop to leave the score 0-8 to 0-7 in Valley’s favour.
It was 0-12 to 0-8 at the short whistle thanks to O’Leary (twice), Eoghan Crowley and Brian McCarthy. A Brian Kelleher free was Carrigaline’s only response.
A much improved third quarter saw Carrigaline reduce the deficit down to four. Two O’Leary frees and a point, plus a super Ciarán O’Shea score, pushed Rovers 0-16 to 0-12 clear before Brian Kelleher and David Drake found their range.
Yet, from the 42nd minute on, there was only one winner.
Upping their intensity and winning every breaking ball around the middle third, Valley Rovers kept their opponents at arm’s length until the final whistle.
O’Leary continued to punish Carrigaline from frees with Joe Twohig and Matthew Woods chipping in with superb individual efforts.
It was 0-21 to 0-16 in Valley’s favour despite a couple of rousing Rhys McCarthy and Brian Kelleher replies with five minutes to go.
Any chance of an unlikely Carrigaline comeback was forgotten once Jack Walsh, Eoghan Crowley and Man of the Match Chris O’Leary fired over from distance.
0-24 to 0-17 ahead, Rovers’ substitute Colm Butler put the seal on a commanding display with three consecutive points. Eoghan Crowley had the final say, splitting the uprights to confirm the most deserving of Valley Rovers triumphs.
C O’Leary 0-13 (0-8 f, 0-1 65), E Crowley 0-4, C Butler 0-3, J Twohig, J Walsh 0-2 each, S Ryan, C O’Shea, B McCarthy, M Woods 0-1 each.
B Kelleher 0-8, E Desmond 0-3, R Kelleher, R McCarthy 0-2 each, C Kearney, D Drake 0-1 each.
M Kelleher, C Johnson, M O’Leary, T McGrath; C O’Shea, R Guinane, W Hurley; S Ryan, M Woods; J Walsh, B McCarthy, J Twohig; C O’Leary (c), D O’Connell, E Crowley.
C Butler for O’Connell (43).
CARRIGALINE: R Foster; D Stack, D Greene, K Kavanagh; O O’Connell, D Griffin, P Mellett; R Kelleher, E Desmond (captain); A Andrews, B Kelleher, C Kearney; K O’Reilly, D Drake, N O’Keefe.
R McCarthy for O’Keefe (h-t).
Referee: Willie Wallis (Aghada).
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